Battery/voltage question
Originally posted by Luckyman:
Your alternator may be healty now, but it probably won't last for long.
Having such a small alternator with a sound system can cause it to die out. Your alternator is struggling to keep up with the demands of your amplifier and in the end it can't produce enough current to keep your battery charged.
That's how I killed the alternator on my 1990 Honda Civic. It had a 60 Amp alternator and within days of installing my system the battery kept dying on me. After a week the alternator was toast. I got my alternator rebuilt to 90 Amps and I've never had a problem since.
The amplifier that I was running only had a fuse rated at 70 Amps. So it wasn't a huge system.
Your alternator may be healty now, but it probably won't last for long.
Having such a small alternator with a sound system can cause it to die out. Your alternator is struggling to keep up with the demands of your amplifier and in the end it can't produce enough current to keep your battery charged.
That's how I killed the alternator on my 1990 Honda Civic. It had a 60 Amp alternator and within days of installing my system the battery kept dying on me. After a week the alternator was toast. I got my alternator rebuilt to 90 Amps and I've never had a problem since.
The amplifier that I was running only had a fuse rated at 70 Amps. So it wasn't a huge system.
Id starting by making sure your car's wiring is clean.... (check the 'big 3' for poor connections)
Most shops/auto stores will load test your battery for you... if the place you went to suggested it was the battery without a load test... well.. I might not shop there anymore...
[ September 23, 2005, 06:24 AM: Message edited by: Haunz ]
Most shops/auto stores will load test your battery for you... if the place you went to suggested it was the battery without a load test... well.. I might not shop there anymore...
[ September 23, 2005, 06:24 AM: Message edited by: Haunz ]
One way to diagnose if you have a battery problem is by hooking up another battery in parallel. Ask a friend to move his car close to yours as if your going to get a boost. Hook up the booster cables in parallel and then start your car. Make sure he doesn't turn on his car otherwise his alternator will be powering your system.
If you no longer have the problems you described then it's very likely a battery problem.
If you still have the problem even with your friends battery hooked in parallel then ask your friend to turn on his car. Now if your problem goes away and the voltages are at around 13.8 then it's very likely to be a problem with your alternator / voltage regulator.
If you no longer have the problems you described then it's very likely a battery problem.
If you still have the problem even with your friends battery hooked in parallel then ask your friend to turn on his car. Now if your problem goes away and the voltages are at around 13.8 then it's very likely to be a problem with your alternator / voltage regulator.
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 870
Simple test to check a battery.
If the voltage drops to below 10 volts while cranking, the battery is probably on it's way out.
It's not a good idea to run an amp with a bad battery. Low voltages on any current hungry accessory may cause a weak link to overheat and fail. Under-powering your amp may cause the sub(s) to bottom out.
You can change a battery at your convienience, or your inconvenience.
If the voltage drops to below 10 volts while cranking, the battery is probably on it's way out.
It's not a good idea to run an amp with a bad battery. Low voltages on any current hungry accessory may cause a weak link to overheat and fail. Under-powering your amp may cause the sub(s) to bottom out.
You can change a battery at your convienience, or your inconvenience.
Thanks for all of the help, guys. The deck is an old Alpine, CDA-7930. I did a 4awg ground upgrade from the battery to the frame, nothing else yet. The place I went to ran some tests on the alternator and battery with the car on and off, he got me to crank my stereo and diagnosed it from there. I will try the battery test mentioned above, see if that is the answer. [img]graemlins/beer.gif[/img]
Guest
Posts: n/a
Incidentally Ross - I see a model up from that charger is on sale this week eh?
http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=140847439 6669586&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395438793&bm UID=1127503592920&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845 524441888875&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true
http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=140847439 6669586&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395438793&bm UID=1127503592920&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845 524441888875&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 756
Put on your reading glasses....
http://www.canadiancaraudio.com/cgi/...3;t=010620;p=1
Click the links in the posts of mine... tons of battery/alternator info to read [img]smile.gif[/img]
http://www.canadiancaraudio.com/cgi/...3;t=010620;p=1
Click the links in the posts of mine... tons of battery/alternator info to read [img]smile.gif[/img]
